Welcome from the ASTR Graduate Student Caucus! The Conference Assistance Committee of the ASTR Graduate Student Caucus (GSC) is delighted to welcome you to ASTR 2015, “Debating the Stakes in Theatre and Performance Scholarship.” We have provided the conference packet attached to this blog post (and available in print at the conference) to help guide you through this event and navigate our beautiful host city of Portland, Oregon. Here you will find information on the role of the GSC and how you can maximize your involvement with the GSC, conference advice and support, and information on food and drink, travel and attractions in Portland. We hope you find this useful and look forward to meeting you all personally at the GSC events.

The 2014-2015 GSC Executive Committee and its several committees have been hard at work organizing exciting graduate student-focused events for ASTR 2015 in Portland. A full list of these opportunities, which include networking events as well as professionalization sessions, may be found on page 6. These events, and the resources gathered in this packet, provide graduate students the opportunity to meet other grads, to find mentors at ASTR, and to learn how to make the most of the conference and the Portland area.

If you are a graduate student member of ASTR, then you are a member of the Graduate Student Caucus. I hope to see you at our annual meeting on Friday, November 6, 8:00-9:30 pm (location information may be found in the conference program). Like the several graduate student events throughout the conference, the GSC meeting offers a space for first-time attendees and returning graduate students alike. The meeting provides a space for the current elected members of the GSC to hear from you, graduate students, about your experiences at ASTR and in the field at large.

I would like to take a moment to recognize the work of my colleagues in the GSC Cabinet, and the volunteers whose time and labor made this year’s GSC events and initiatives possible. Stephanie Vella, Michelle Salerno, Sarah Campbell, and Haddy Kreie have served on the GSC as committed advocates for graduate students throughout the past year. Katie Turner and Guy Zimmerman organized the annual Welcome Mentor Breakfast, cultivating a vital space for mentorship at ASTR. Shamell Bell and Mika Lior planned and will host the several GSC Peer Networking and Mentorship events. Sara Taylor has taken lead of GSC Web Resources, keeping the GSC connected with our constituency throughout the year. A final thank you to Lauren Graffin and Shelby Brewster for organizing the Conference Assistance Packet, and to Amanda Boyle and Aaron Kelly for their contributions. We all will benefit from these passionate and engaged graduate student volunteers.

Lastly, I would like to introduce the 2015-2016 GSC Cabinet. Stephanie Vella will serve as the GSC President. The GSC cabinet consists of Vice-President/Rep. to the Annual Conference Committee, Yasmine Jahanmir; Vice President/Rep. to the Committee on Conferences, Bess Rowen; Secretary/Historian Bryan Schmidt; and GSC Representative to the ASTR Committee on New Paradigms in Graduate Education Vicki Hoskins. I am certain that they will make ASTR 2016 in Minneapolis a vibrant and transformative space for graduate students and their work. I invite you to explore all that ASTR 2015 has to offer. I hope to see you around the conference!

Connect with Us and Get Involved

At the conference, you can find the GSC at a table in the conference hallway, which will be staffed by cabinet members and volunteers. Come by and meet fellow graduate students, get more conference information, and ask any questions!

Please take a moment to join our Facebook Group and connect with fellow grads from around the world to discuss ideas, generate panels, share CFPs, find a conference roommate, and ask questions of the graduate community. Don't forget to also subscribe to our list-serv to ensure you receive all GSC news and messages regarding elections, conferences, volunteer opportunities, and awards.

Feel free to contact us if you need any additional information, or if you’d like to get involved with the GSC!